Stoke City have completed a £3.25m deal for the Portsmouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian international has signed a four-and-a-half year contract with Stoke shortly before the transfer window closed.

"Asmir is someone we have been tracking for some time and we believe that potentially he is the best young keeper in the country," said Stoke's manager Tony Pulis.

Pulis twice tried to sign the 22-year-old's former team-mate David James on loan from cash-strapped Portsmouth, but the move broke down over an issue with the veteran goalkeeper's wages.

Begovic, who has impressed in goal for Portsmouth this season, had also been linked with Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, but will instead provide competition for Thomas Sorensen at the Britannia Stadium.